The Crucivire

Chapter Thirty Eight: The Battle for Saint Vivia

Under the red light from above, Director Farrow led the hunters slowly through the forest now that they were past the hex field. Further back, Jamar and Robert marched forward, and even further back, Agent Walker had assumed command of the sniper division. The snipers were forced to turn off the night vision function in their scopes, considering the red glow from above. Many hunters kept their gun flashlights on, however, just in case the red light disappeared.

They knew from Jacqueline's information that the next area would have ambush points underground, so the vampires could pop out at any moment. As he marched, Director Farrow was suddenly hyper aware of The Spear of Destiny on his back, which began to glow with a golden light as if sensing battle ahead. Many legends said that this spear guaranteed victory to its bearer. The truth was that an army led by one bearing the Lance of Longinus seemed to fight more effectively, showing more bravery and skill than otherwise. It wasn't something the bearer could control, but it seemed that the spear had activated at the right time. The battle would begin soon.

And yet, even though they knew it was coming, they were still caught off guard when the first vampires attacked, bursting out of trapdoors in the ground with spears. Hunters cried out as they were pierced, blood spilling from their sides as the vampires, glamours down, disappeared back under the ground just before bullets could strike.

The hunters were left in chaos at first, dropping left and right, but soon hunters got wise to where the trapdoors were and were able to shoot vampires just as they popped out of the ground, letting the doors fall on their heads.

Captain Wagner, taking initiative, grabbed the golden axe at his belt and hit the ground. Where the axe struck, a fissure opened and revealed an underground tunnel. The vampires down there, now exposed, fled from him as he aimed his holy water cutter and sliced them down with it.

Jamar and Robert ended up back to back, watching for vampires to pop out of the ground and shooting them down, each shouting duck when a spear came their way. Further to the back, Agent Walker and the snipers lay down cover fire, their shots precise and lethal. Beneath the tunnels, the vampires cringed as the sound of bullets ripped through their ears, but the training they'd received had paid off, and they weathered the pain well.

At this point, the battle was well under way.

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Alice and the dhampirs ran forward, the vampires behind them set on fire by Jasmine's sword, Dyrnwyn. In the cramped corridor, the vampires knocked against each other trying to escape the flames only to set more of each other on fire. Amid the chaos, the five Night Hunters gained some breathing room, putting some distance between themselves as the vampires behind them.

As they ran down a stone corridor covered in Aztec markings, Alice couldn't help but notice something.

"Jaiden," Alice sent telepathically. "My mind isn't hurting yours, is it?"

"No," Jaiden sent back. "My body may be that of a vampire, but my mind didn't undergo the brainwashing, so things like crosses don't bother me. I guess a crucivire's mind doesn't hurt me either. Strange to think they deliberately give each other the same mental weaknesses."

Alice considered that and remembered what Jacqueline had said. Vampires wanted to convince themselves that being one was wonderful as much as they wanted to convince their victims. With that in mind, Alice didn't think that giving each other a weakness to Christian imagery was intentional, but something that happened subconsciously, part of a cycle that started when vampires were first born.

"Well," Alice sent to him. "Whatever the reason, I'm glad I'm not hurting you."

"You might hurt us if things go wrong," Gordon said in their minds, surprising the others.